40th Anniversary Exhibit, Who We Are - 40 years of history & Free Admission Weekend

March 14th, 2026

VPMA celebrates its 40th Anniversary with a new exhibition

In celebration of 40 years, the Vancouver Police Museum & Archives (VPMA) is proud to announce the launch of its exciting anniversary exhibition. 

The new exhibition Who We Are, provides a look at specialized units of the Vancouver Police Department: including the Mounted Unit and the Canine Unit, providing an overview of how each squad operates in order to keep our city safe. 

To mark four decades of preserving the Vancouver Police Department’s history, the museum will host a Free Admission Weekend on April 18-19, 2026, inviting the public to experience this new display at no cost. 

The exhibit features unique artifacts never before shown to the public including: videos, items collected during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, alongside specialized equipment on loan directly from the featured units! 

“Our goal was to bring the VPD back to the forefront of our exhibit space by highlighting the specialized skills that keep our city safe,” says Isaiah Johnson, Curator at the Vancouver Police Museum. “By interviewing officers from these units and visiting their workplaces, we’ve been able to integrate authentic voices and contemporary stories into the former Coroner’s Court. This exhibition marks our 40th anniversary by connecting the museum’s collection with the active-duty work of today’s specialized units.” 

Exhibit Highlights: 

• Specialized Units: A concise look at the skills and operations of special VPD units. 

• Animals in Action: A focused look at the vital roles of the VPD Mounted and K9 units, from the specialized training to the tactical presence of the squads.

• The "Swiftie" Connection: including the famous "friendship bracelets" worn by VPD horses, at one of the largest policing events in Vancouver’s recent history.  

• The "Nitro" Video: A solemn retrospective of the life of a Police Service Dog.  

• 40th Anniversary Celebration: A weekend of free access (April 18–19) to thank the Vancouver community for four decades of support. 
  

The Vancouver Police Museum & Archives was founded in 1986 to commemorate the dual centennials of both the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department. Forty years later, it remains North America’s oldest police museum and is housed in the heritage building that once served as the city's morgue and autopsy suite.

Media Contact: 

Gabriel Cardoso 

Marketing & Communications Manager 

marketing@vancouverpolicemuseum.ca 

604.665.3346 

https://www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca/